[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 126 (Thursday, June 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40081-40082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-16404]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

[Docket No. 000608169-0169-01]
RIN 0660-XX07


Notice of Public Meeting and Request for Comment on Minority 
Media Ownership

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce

ACTION: Notice of public meeting, request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and 
Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration (NTIA), Gregory L. Rohde, will host a roundtable 
discussion open to the public on minority media ownership in a changing 
industry. NTIA also requests public comment on ways to preserve 
diversity in the media. With relaxation of the local broadcast 
ownership caps and elimination of the national station limit under the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996, concentration in the broadcasting 
industry has increased. Although access to investment capital remains a 
challenge for many minority entrepreneurs seeking to buy broadcast 
stations, the convergence of traditional broadcasting and new 
telecommunications technologies may present new opportunities for media 
ownership. Therefore, the roundtable discussion will also explore ways 
to improve prospects for minorities to acquire media properties. In 
addition, this notice will present a series of questions to solicit 
public comment on these issues.

DATES: NTIA will hold the Minority Media Ownership Roundtable from 9:00 
a.m. until 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, July 18, 2000. The deadline for 
written comments is July 28, 2000 and the deadline for reply comments 
is August 8, 2000.

ADDRESSES: NTIA will hold the Minority Media Ownership Roundtable from 
9:00 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. on July 18, 2000 at the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Room 4830, 1401 Consti-tution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20230. The meeting will be open to the public. For current information 
on the roundtable, please visit NTIA's website at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/minoritymediaroundtable/.
    The Department invites the public to submit written comments in 
paper or electronic form. Please mail comments to Maureen Lewis, 
Director, Minority Telecommunications Development Program, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Room 4720, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20230. In the alternative, commenters may submit their views 
electronically to the following electronic mail address: 
[email protected].

Submission of Documents

Written Comments

    Paper submissions should include an original and two paper copies 
and a version on a 3.5 inch write protected diskette in one of the 
following formats: PDF, ASCII, Word Perfect (please specify version) or 
Microsoft Word (please specify version). Please label all diskettes 
with the name of the party submitting the comments, and the name and 
version of the word processing program used to create the document. 
Comments and reply comments submitted by electronic mail to 
[email protected]> should also be submitted in one of the 
formats specified above. Caption all comments and reply comments 
``Minority Media Ownership--Comment [or Reply Comment], Docket No. 
000608169-0169-01'' and organize each submission in response to the 
questions set forth in this Notice. NTIA will post comments and reply 
comments to its web site at http://www.ntia.doc.gov>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maureen Lewis, Director, Minority 
Telecommunications Development Program, National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration; telephone (202) 482-8056; or electronic 
mail [email protected].> The NTIA Office of Public Affairs will 
answer

[[Page 40082]]

media inquiries. Representatives may be contacted at (202) 482-7002.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In its most recent report on minority media ownership titled 
``Minority Commercial Broadcast Ownership in the United States,'' 
published in August 1998, NTIA found that ``financial barriers, 
increased competition, and higher station prices, are likely to be 
significant obstacles to new minority entrants to this marketplace.'' 
The report also identified increasing media concentration as a factor 
likely to cause small station owners with less investment capital to 
exit the industry as they find it more difficult to compete against 
station group owners. In addition, increased competition from non-
minority group owners for syndicated programming, advertising revenues, 
and station personnel, such as on-air talent and managers, were other 
challenges some minority station owners described in the 1998 report. 
NTIA is seeking public comment on whether the trends described in the 
1998 report are continuing to affect adversely minority media 
ownership. NTIA is also requesting suggestions about ways to reverse 
any such negative trends. Since the 1998 report, multibillion dollar 
mergers of large radio station groups and unions between cable 
companies, multimedia conglomerates and telecommunications companies 
have been announced or consummated. Traditional distinctions between 
the broadcast, cable and telecommunications industries appear to be 
disappearing as new technologies, such as digital radio, satellite 
radio, audio and video streaming over the Internet, and interactive 
television emerge. Given this, NTIA is also interested in obtaining 
comments on the viability of these and other new technologies to 
enhance ownership opportunities for incumbent media owners and new 
entrants. This topic, and the effect on minority media ownership of 
media concentration and access to capital will be integral parts of 
NTIA's roundtable discussion.

Questions for Public Comment

    NTIA requests that interested parties submit written comments on 
any issue of fact, law, or policy that may inform the U.S. Department 
of Commerce on opportunities for increased minority media ownership. 
Although the Department specifically seeks information on the questions 
set forth below, the purpose of these questions is to assist the 
public. These questions do not, nor should they be construed to, limit 
the issues on which the public may submit comments. Comments and reply 
comments should cite the number of the question(s) addressed. Please 
provide copies of any studies, research, or other empirical data 
referenced in the comments.
    1. What criteria should the federal government use to define 
minority ownership of broadcast or other media properties?
    2. What changes, if any, have occurred in minority broadcast 
ownership since passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996?
    3. What legal impediments, if any, exist to minority media 
ownership?
    4. What economic impediments, if any, exist to minority media 
ownership?
    5. What policies or programs, if any, should the federal government 
implement to promote minority media ownership?
    6. What legal or regulatory measures would promote minority media 
ownership?
    7. What media ownership opportunities do new technologies offer to 
minority entrepreneurs?
    8. What policies or programs should the federal government 
implement to promote opportunities for minority entrepreneurs to own 
``new media'' ventures, such as webcasting firms or Internet portals?
    Information collected in response to this Federal Register Notice 
may be included in the 2000 Minority Commercial Broadcast Ownership 
Report.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: The Minority Media Ownership Roundtable is open 
to the public on a first-come, first-served basis and is physically 
accessible to people with disabilities. To facilitate entry into the 
Department of Commerce building, please have a photo identification 
available and/or a U.S. Government building pass if applicable. Any 
member of the public wishing to attend and requiring special services, 
such as a sign language interpretation or other ancillary aids, should 
contact Maureen Lewis, Director, Minority Telecommunications 
Development Program, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration at least five (5) working days prior to the Minority 
Media Ownership Roundtable by telephone at (202) 482-8056, or by 
electronic mail at [email protected].>

Gregory L. Rohde,
Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information.
[FR Doc. 00-16404 Filed 6-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P